The Saint Joseph The Worker Church is one of the first parish churches in the Diocese of Dipolog and the largest of all the parishes.
📍 Poblacion, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte 7112
☎️ 0935 041 0614
Parish History
The parish of Sindangan traces her beginning to the small communities of faithful-settlers-farmers coming from Dapitan and the Visayan islands in search of the proverbial greener pasture. This was a year or two before the turn of the century and land was aplenty and fertile. The Napigkits came first followed by the Lagarnias, the Nalangans and the Hamacs. The Napigkits settled in Disud and the Lagarnias farmed the area astride the Tanjay – Gusa plains. Down south on what is now known as Magsaysay-Disud-Poblacion belt of land, the Hamacs staked their claim. Further down south in the Goleo sector, the Nalangans established their farms.
Life was hard for these early settlers, but they were strong church believers. In time, other settlers, also faithful, trickled in. This community of believers, simple folks, farmers, and fishers, build themselves a church on a land donated by the Hamacs. A priest from Katipunan would minister to the spiritual needs of these believers once a year, specifically during the feast of their patron saint San Jose, El Obrero a perfect choice considering the occupation. And so it came to pass that Church weddings, baptisms, and confirmation were ministered, and masses were celebrated in Sindangan once a year.
After thirty years, the Archdiocese of Zamboanga realizing that Sindangan’s population had increased, decreed the creation of Sindangan parish and what was, and is still known as the St. Joseph the Worker Parish.This was 1935. Finally, the Sindangan faithful attained parishhood. Rev. Fr. Nicasio Patangan was assigned and thus gained the distinction of the first parish priest of Sindangan. The following year, 1936, the commonwealth government of the Philippines created the municipal government of Sindangan and appointed Bartolome Lira, Sr., a church leader, the first mayor. Like any pioneering priest, the first order of the day for Fr. Patangan was building of the Church. The Hamac family by then had donated a portion of their vast landholdings to the diocese. About one hectare presently occupied by St. Joseph College. Spurred by Fr. Patangan, the faithful erected a thatched-roof church at the portion fronting a street now known as Rizal street, and where the present administration building of the St. Joseph College is. It had wooden walls though. A year after, galvanized iron sheets were installed as roofs and as walls covering the altar area.
Parishioners, mostly farmers and fishermen, and some public school teachers provided their labors for free. They likewise made pews and other church furniture themselves. Then, Fr. Patangan organized the Apostolate dela Oracion de Jesus. Members of the Apostolado became church leaders and assisted the parish priest in the numerous church-related activities. In 1937, after serving the parish for only two years, Fr. Patangan was assigned to another parish. Rev. Fr. Antonio Hamac came over and continued the works of Fr. Patangan.
It was during his term that the Church was completely furnished with wooden pews. A wooden belfry was erected, the altar completed, and a small convent constructed. The Hijas de Maria was organized and devotion to San Jose, San Antonio de Padua, San Vicente Ferrer, and Virgen del Carmen was encouraged. Liturgies and masses were enlivened with the organization of the “Cantoras” a choir whose membership was culled from the offspring of the Hamacs, the Nalangans, and the Lagarnias, and the Jacoba from 1951 – 1954. Natividad Hamac, Lucresia Ortuoste, Teodora Lagarnia, and Isidoro Nalangan were joined by Canuta Buot, Agripina Arboleras, Consuelo Buot, Anunciasion Zosa, Conception Hamac, Eliteo Jalosjos, Ramon Martinez, Buding Villamil, and Daniel Jalosjos as members of this choir. Galo Villamil Sr., a gifted musical composer, directed the choir.
War broke out in December 1941 and a number of parishioners evacuated inland. Faith was however kept alive during the war year. A church was built temporarily on the land of Jose Teano in Dicoyong, a barrio southeast of Sindangan. Still others found refuge in Piao, a barrio about four kilometers inland. There, a chapel was erected on the land of Mr. and Mrs. Simeon Candido. Fr. Antonio Hamac returned to Sindangan after a year of absence in order to replace the newly ordained Fr. Epifanio Balladares. He offered masses in the Piao chapel once a week.
Liberation came and the evacuees trekked back to their homes. Life returned to normal. Parish priest came and went. Fr. Felipe Chio Kiet served from 1945 to 1946 followed by Fr. Pio Saavedra who served until 1947. Fr. Nicasio Patangan, the first parish priest returned and fed the lambs until 1948. Fr. Calixto Yamba assumed office in 1948 to 1951. Fr. Epifanio Balladares, who had worked with parish ten years earlier, was assigned again. Fr. Balladares’ term was notable in the sense that he initiated moves to have the Church transferred to a new location – the site now occupied by the Church. a lover of music, Fr. Balladares reorganized the Cantores to assist in the masses. He likewise commissioned Jose Vergara Montayne, a sculptor who had just settled in Sindangan to carve out religious icons and statues. These were then left to the care of different families, and were placed atop decorated floats and paraded around during feasts and Lenten processions. Children were given catechism and religious lessons on Sunday afternoons.
In 1954, Fr. Hector del Callar served as the tenth parish priest of Sindangan. His term was likewise remarkable as he led the ground-breaking for a new church edifice in the site fronting the eastern side of the municipal plaza. This time, settlers who came to Sindangan in the early twenties, thirties, and forties – the Teanos, Regencias, Aspiras, Alboses, Candidos, Bugarins, Quineses, Billioneses, Liras, Zosas, Apduas, Cabilins, Gurreas, Villaesters, Wees, adn the Lagarnias, to name a few, pooled their resources together and started erecting a concrete church in the year 1956 – 1957.
Though far from being completed, the new church was inaugurated with a thanksgiving mass in 1959. The seeds planted by Fr. Balladares and cultivated by Fr. Del Callar had borne fruits. A year later, 1960, Fr. Del Callar bade goodbye after serving the faithful for seven years. He was succeeded by Fr. Engracio Rivera, a soft-spoken priest.
Fr. Rivera served from 1960 to 1970. So far, he was the longest serving priest. The Church was still under construction, but building works in the church sped up when a young engineer Jose Teano, Jr. offered his free services supervising the construction works. A two-story convent was built near the church. Also built was a Lourdes grotto near the Hijas de Maria convent. Meanwhile, the Knights of Columbus (K of C) a fraternal organization for Catholic men was organized. School supervisor Felipe Mojares is known as the person assisted Fr. Rivera in the organization of the K of C.
Pastoral works was the centerpiece of Fr. Rivera’s mission. Chapels sprouted in the barrios throughout Sindangan- testament that the seeds sown by Christ fell not on rocky ground, but on fertile soils. In 1970, Fr. Rivera was ordered to transfer to Dapitan City. Rev. Fr. Primitivo Vidallo, a fine speaker was sent then as a parish priest. He organized the Cursillo in Christianity and a team to conduct the Katilingbang Kristohanon Barrio Seminar. From that movement emerged the Kaabag, the first to be installed in the diocese of Dipolog. The Kaabag functioned as lay persons assisting during masses and leading other religious rituals in the barrio chapels. A newly ordained priest Rev. Fr. Esteban Gaudicos was sent to assist Fr. Vidallo. This year, Fr. Vidallo had the celebration of the feast of St. Joseph the Worker transferred to May 1 to coincide with the celebration of Labor Day. Until now the Sindanganons are celebrating their fiesta on the said-date.
In 1976, a Sindanganon, Oswaldo Bacareza was ordained priest. He was a grandson of Bartoleme Lira, Sr., the first mayor of Sindangan and one of the early parish church leaders.In 1988, Rev. Fr. Alfredo P. Ganason assumed the office of parish priest. He undertook the first task at hand – to renovate the church building in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of church goers. He tapped the resources of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) headed by Bonifacio Sia and Flora D. Candido. Engr. Mateo Dalangin supervised the construction for free and slowly a new house of worship took shape. As the church building was rising up, donations came flooding in.
Two years later, Fr. Vidallo left for Luzon and Fr. Bacareza was appointed caretaker. He was assisted by three young and newly ordained priests, Rev. Fr. Jesusimo Orozco, Rev. Fr. Luis Lapinid, and Rev. Fr. Edito Gamallo. Four years later, in 1980, Rev. Fr. Felino Ragonton, an Ilocano preist came to administer the parish. He is remembered as the priest who organized the charismatic movement. In August 1982, the Missionary sisters of the Holy Spirit arrived to propagate the faith to Tribal Filipinos. They also helped in the liturgical services of the parish. He stayed for five years and in 1985, Fr. Bacareza was installed the new parish priest. He served until 1988 and was thereafter assigned to Dapitan City. He built a new convent and a formation center.
Meanwhile the church took in a new “state of mission.” It was laid down by Vatican Council II. From a highly ritualistic religion, the Church focused its attention to evangelization – that is, propagating the Christ the faithful believe in and follow and share with others. The spiritual renewal coined as Liberation Theology owes its existence to Vatican Council II. It was formally inaugurated in Medellin Columbia and broadened in Pueblo, Mexico. The inspiration for such spiritual renewal was drawn from the contribution of Pope Paul VI in Evangelii Nuntiandi. It aims to transform selfish, unjust, and sinful persons, groups, families and societies into a community that will qualify for incorporation into the Kingdom of God. To achieve such spiritual renewal, the church aims to develop the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) or the Gagmay’ng Katilingbanong Simbahan (GKS). Although, Fr. Ganason might be credited as the one who inspired the parishioners to build a church edifice right in the heart of Poblacion Sindangan, but his most significant gift is the creation of BEC all over the parish.
On Weekends —mostly Saturday nights —all over the parish , five to ten families , the Vatican Council II conceived as BEC, gather around, give thanks to God, sing praises to Him, and share with each other the boundless love of the heavenly Father. These are the churches built in the hearts of the parishioners. The small Christian believers are called ‘Kasabutan’ or covenants. The covenants in turn incorporated into an umbrella organization aptly called Arka (ark). Thus, coin the term Ark of the Covenants (Arka sa mga Kasabutan). It creates 412 divided among 13 arkas. From four to five families of believers at the turn of the nineteenth century, the gospel today has spread into fifty-two barangays with 106 chapels ministered by nineteenth by ninety-four lay ministers or kaabag and 130 catechists. It’s an achievement indeed for a parish that had just turned seventy five.
During the term of Fr. Ganason, he was assisted by Rev. Fr.Octavio Bartiana and Rev. Fr. Albert Bael. They started the construction of the formation center and the parish church. In 1994, Rev. Fr. Esteban Gaudicos took over the helm of the parish as the new parish priest. With him was the newly ordained priest Rev.Fr. Jeffrey Tagailo. It was at this time that Perpetual Dawn Rosary ( PDR) was introduced to the parishioners and at the same time strengthened the BEC’s in the parish. Then, in 1999, Rev. Fr. Wilson Cadano succeeded him as the parish priest and assisted by Rev. Fr. Teodoro Lagutin and Rev.Fr.Edgar Guantero. They continued the strengthened o0f BEC’s which was also the thrust of the Diocese.
In 2004, Rev. Fr. Beda Belotindos, Episcopal Vicar, assisted by two young priest, Rev.Fr.Cris Varquez and Rev.Fr. Bryan Lumentac took over the parish as the new team. Aside from strengthening the BEC’s they conducted a mission throughout the parish.At this time, Fr.Beda landscaped the side of the church and the formation center. the adoration chapel was also transferred insside the church and the old chapel was converted into parish office.
In June 2009, Rev. Fr.Enrico Montano took over. His assistant are Rev.Fr.Esquiron Santisas and Rev.Fr. Delio Talaid, a newly ordained priest. After one year, Fr. Delio was assigned as parish administrator of Leon Postigo and was replaced by another newly ordained priest, Rev.Fr. Ryan Belangoy. The BEC strengthening continued throughout the parish. A Major repair of the church facade and the classrooms for nursery kinder were undertaken. The grotto was renovated and so with the formation center and the refectory. Sustainable agriculture and participation in community activities were encourage among chapels members and arka. The parish also initiated an interfaith dialogue to ensure solidarity among the people in the parish; Spiritual, Political, Economic,Cultural, Social and Ecological( SPECSE) awareness is instilled amongst parishioners through the BEC. All efforts bore fruit and in 2010, St. Joseph the Worker parsih celebrated its 75th anniversary as a parish. The celebration is a milestone towards the year 2010 and beyond. It is not only a celebration of growth, but of continuing affirmation that living cells of the church is the basic Christian communities, in the arks of the covenants.
In 2014 Rev.Msgr. Herbert S. Mag-aso assumed the leadership of the Parish with Rev. Fr. Isagani Josol as his Parachial Vicar. The resident priest, Rev. Fr. Danillo D. Alpuerto and Rev.Fr.Sabras Hisula assisted the shepherding of the parish while both took care of the Diocesan Divine Mercy Shrine and Campus Ministry of St.Joseph College respectively.
With the eventual departure of Rev. Msgr.Mag-aso to the United State in 2015, Rev. Fr.Josol succeeded the administration of the parish.
On June 1, 2016 Rev. Msgr. Mamerto A. Dolera Jr. was appointed administrator of the parish together with Rev.Fr. Rafael Licong as Parochial Vicar. Two resident priests, Rev. Fr.Danilo D. Alpuerto (Rector of the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy) and Rev. Fr. Dembert Castillon (Vice President for administration, St. Joseph College) accompanied them and worked for the growth of the parish in view of the goal to strengthen the basic ecclesial communities and to reach out the parishioners living at the fringes of the society.
Reference:
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Dipolog
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